X Factor hopeful Kye Sones has told how he received words of wisdom from Radio 1 DJ Fearne Cotton about competing on the show.

The former chimney sweep, 30, said he'd been friends with Fearne, 31, since they were just 11.

Showing the Daily Mirror his snaps of the pair together, he said: "Fearne and I have been friends since we were 11, we met at an under-18s disco in Ruislip and we clicked. We've been best mates ever since.

"Fearne is my rock, she has always been there for me. Whenever I have had any knocks over the years she has always supported me."

Kye, who narrowly survived Sunday's show when the vote went to deadlock, added: "When she knew I had got through to the live shows on X Factor, Fearne told me to get my head down and work hard, as this is what I really want to do and have been working for for the past 10 years.

"She said I need to put the passion I have for music across on stage and 'go for it'."